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ESPNcricinfo’s wrap of the first day of the Sheffield Shield final between Victoria and South Australia in Alice Springs

Brydon Coverdale26-Mar-2017
ScorecardFor the second time in his career, Marcus Harris scored a century in a Sheffield Shield final•Getty ImagesOpeners Marcus Harris and Travis Dean gave Victoria the perfect start in their push to complete a hat-trick of Sheffield Shield titles, setting up a strong first day with the bat for the Bushrangers. Harris scored his second century of the Shield season and Dean fell just short of doing the same, but their 224-run opening stand put Victoria on the path to a hefty total against South Australia.At stumps on the first day in Alice Springs, Victoria had moved along to 3 for 322, with Rob Quiney on 44 and Cameron White on 7. It brought an end to a tough day in the field for the Redbacks, who are searching for their first Shield title in more than two decades. However, they had brought some of the misery on themselves through a lacklustre fielding display, with both Harris and Dean given lives.Harris was first dropped on 54 when he edged Joe Mennie to first slip, where Daniel Worrall put down a sitter; Harris had another let-off on 59 when a drive off Chadd Sayers skewed to backward point, where Jake Lehmann dropped a harder opportunity. In between those two misses, Callum Ferguson at gully also grassed a chance to give Dean a reprieve.South Australia also missed a couple of run-out opportunities, and the Victorians made the Redbacks pay for their sloppy work, raising the second-highest opening stand of this Sheffield Shield summer. Harris brought up his hundred and in his first season for Victoria continued to build his reputation as a big-game player: in the 2014-15 final he had made 81 and 158* for Western Australia to be Man of the Match.The partnership ended only when Dean was bowled by a well-flighted delivery from Adam Zampa for 94, and Harris fell in the next over for 120 when he drove at Sayers and was caught by Mennie at gully, but Rob Quiney and Aaron Finch continued to frustrate the Redbacks with a 72-run stand that came to an end when Finch was lbw to Sayers for 38. But at stumps, Victoria remained firmly in control of the contest.

Everton have made contact with the entourage of Charles De Ketelaere over a potential summer move, and AC Milan would be willing to sanction his departure for a fee of €30m (£26m), according to reports from Italy.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

The Toffees have made it clear they are interested in signing a new striker this summer, having now "formally expressed" their interest in paying the €40m (£34m) release clause to sign Almeria's El Bilal Toure, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

Despite creating 48 big chances last season, the tenth-highest figure in the Premier League, Sean Dyche's men ended the season with the second-fewest number of goals, so it is no wonder the manager is so keen to sign the Almeria forward.

With Amadou Onana's future in doubt, amid interest from West Ham United, Everton may look at bringing in De Ketelaere, given that he is capable of playing in midfield, and in a more advanced role.

The AC Milan midfielder only arrived at the San Siro last summer, in a deal worth a total of €35m (£30m), however his future is already in doubt.

That is according to a report from Pianeta Milan (via Sport Witness), which states that Milan would be willing to part ways with the 22-year-old for a fee of €30m (£26m), after a disappointing first season in Italy following his big move last August.

With the Serie A club now chasing Samuel Chukwueze and Christian Pulisic, the Belgian may be squeezed out of the squad, and there is a belief that he could potentially be moved on in a loan deal.

Everton have now contacted the Brugge-born midfielder's entourage to ask for information ahead of a possible move in the coming weeks, but they are not the only Premier League club interested in his signature, with West Ham and Crystal Palace also named as potential suitors.

Who is Charles De Ketelaere?

Just over a year ago, the Belgium U21s international was viewed as a "highly rated" player by members of the media, and while he has failed to hit the heights expected of him with AC Milan, recording just one assist last season, it is still very early days in his career.

Former teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hailed the 6 foot 3 midfielder as a "top player" who just needs "some time", while international teammate Divock Origi describes him as "half Havertz and half Kaka".

If the former Club Brugge man is able to reignite his form from the 2021-22 campaign, during which he registered 14 goals and seven assists in 33 Belgian Pro League outings, he could prove to be an excellent signing for Everton.

However, De Ketelaere has now been out of form for quite some time, which is likely to be a major concern for Sean Dyche, so it would not be wise for Everton to shell out £26m.

Instead, the Toffees should try to negotiate a loan deal, as it seems like it would be a beneficial move for all parties.

Glasgow Rangers have undergone a major summer rebuild as Michael Beale has cleared out some high earners such as Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, who departed the club following the expiration of their contracts while luring some wonderful talents such as Jack Butland and Kieran Dowell to the Ibrox side.

The 2023/24 campaign promises to be an exciting one, with Rangers showing glimpses of their capabilities towards the end of last term, including an impressive 3-0 victory over Celtic, albeit they had already secured the Premiership title.

With plenty of time left to go before the transfer window shuts, Beale will surely be looking at bringing another couple of players to the Light Blues, along with shipping some deadwood out in order to generate funds for future purchases.

Although the Gers have mainly signed midfielders and forwards so far this summer, there is a clear need for some more defensive recruitments.

With this in mind, the Ibrox side were linked with a move for Southampton youngster Thierry Small according to Football Insider at the end of May, with a fee of just £1.2m being touted as enough to prise the 18-year-old away from England.

Could Rangers sign Thierry Small?

Rangers already have two excellent left-backs in the shape of Ridvan Yilmaz and Borna Barisic and while the former only arrived last summer and still has time on his side to learn and adapt to Scottish football, Barisic has just one year left on his contract and although talks have begun with the club over a new deal, he won’t be around forever.

There was nothing wrong with his attacking ability last term, averaging 2.3 key passes per game and creating 12 big chances, yet defensively, he ranked fifth out of the squad for tackles per game and seventh for clearances per game (1.1) and he lost possession a staggering 18.8 times per game, suggesting that he may be going backwards defensively.

Small became the youngest-ever player to appear for Everton during an FA Cup tie in 2021 aged just 16 years and 176 days, and he was even hailed as “quality” by Carlo Ancelotti. He failed to build on that promise despite joining Southampton that summer on a three-year professional deal, being dubbed “highly-rated” by journalist Simon Peach.

The teen starlet secured a loan move to St Mirren during the second half of last season and despite starting only seven matches for the club, he still averaged one key pass per game while completing 0.6 dribbles per game, showing that he showed glimpses of his attacking potential.

Defensively, he made 1.3 tackles and one clearance per game, which wasn’t far off Barisic’s figures of 1.8 tackles and 1.1 clearances made per game respectively, showing that he is already near the numbers of Barisic defensively, despite playing fewer matches and being a lot less experienced.

For just £1.2m, it would surely be a risk worth taking on the youngster, especially following the success Calvin Bassey enjoyed during his spell at Rangers after arriving from England three years ago.

With the Croatian left-back only having a few years left at the top, Small could be an ideal heir for the 30-year-old.

Neil Wagner kept bashing the ball into the middle of the wicket and kept getting wickets? What’s not to like?

David Hopps at Taunton15-Apr-2017
Scorecard”I don’t like things messy,” said the girl in the refreshments outlet as she wiped down the surfaces with uncommon zeal. It is fortunate she did not have a view of the cricket. “Messy” barely begins to sum up a second day at Taunton in which 18 wickets fell and a succession of batsmen were in suicidal mood.The upshot is that Essex, 10 for 0 at the close, need another 245 with all their second-wickets intact. It is by no means impossible, because this pitch is far better than the scores suggest, although an Essex victory would require no more of the batting tomfoolery that saw those 18 wickets tumble for 253 runs.Neil Wagner, New Zealand’s adopted South African, was the chief beneficiary of a haphazard day in which his persistent use of the short ball reaped more dividends than he could fairly expect even on a wicket which the batsmen had concluded was two-paced and did not trust as a result. But hell, if it keeps working, keep doing it. As he so often has for New Zealand.Wagner has found little swing in Taunton with his new-ball spells, when he pitches the ball up, but his old-ball tactic of bashing the ball into the middle of the pitch has brought untold joy. His burst of 5 for 17 in 34 balls saw Somerset decline to 124 for 9 before a last-wicket stand of 50 between Craig Overton and Jack Leach restored at least a semblance of responsibility. Wagner returned to end that, drawing Overton into an uppercut to third man, and finished with 6 for 48.Somerset’s batting coach Chris Rogers said; “I think a lot of the batsman will feel they have left a lot of runs out there. However, I do think this wicket is playing tricks. It is two-paced and it has become a bit of a lottery. But still, we could have tried to have seen Wagner off and we will need to address. The last pair valued their wicket and that will be a big lesson for the other guys.”A more pressing question is why Somerset dealt with it in such a ham-fisted fashion. Wagner, as a skiddy left-armer, is difficult to leave when he hammers the ball into a somewhat unreliable surface because of the angle he bowls and the height – or lack of it – he generates, but that barely begins to build a defence.Such tactics – as Wagner himself signalled afterwards – are exhausting and cannot be pursued with success before long. Five overs, 30 balls, 15 balls each, to see him off. Against an Essex side only fielding two frontline pace bowlers. Finally, it seems, the Internet age where nobody can concentrate for longer than two minutes has reached Taunton.Wagner’s assault began with Steve Davies, whose square drive off the back foot flew at catchable height to point. Peter Trego was strangled down the leg-side and, further down the scorecard, the shots got worse. Roelof van der Merwe attempted a one-legged whip and was caught at midwicket and Lewis Gregory top-edged a pull to long leg.That left Jamie Overton. Before lunch, Overton had bounced out Wagner: fast bowler bouncing fast bowler to warn him that fire could be fought with fire. Wagner therefore stepped up his short-ball assault and removed Alastair Cook from slip to strengthen the leg-side with the same intent. Blow me, if Overton did not top-edge a hare-brained pull straight up in the air. Perhaps an early contender for the daftest shot of the season. Utterly self-indulgent. There again, these days there is a lot of it about.Essex had not been much better. Resuming on their overnight total of 60 for 2, they lost eight wickets in barely doubling their score with only Cook providing any real resistance. Even Cook lacked his frolicsome approach of the first evening before he played on, 13 added in an hour to his overnight 39, pushing limply at Gregory.Left-arm spin will play a major part in Somerset’s attempt to win the game on the third day. Leach’s solidity will persuade Somerset that his simplified action – following the ECB analysis that deemed his action as illegal – will gradually pose the same threat that was such a central part of their Championship challenge last season. He took two wickets in Essex’s first innings, bowling Ravi Bopara behind his legs on the sweep in a solid introduction to the season. A simplified action looks as if little go wrong, but what he needs are the bowling figures to follow.Van der Merwe, his fellow slow left-armer, bowled the best deliveries of all, none better than the delivery which turned to strike Adam Wheater’s off stump. Perhaps he could have been further forward, but on a day of such batting inadequacies it would be harsh to complain too much.

Essex were in the box seat after hundreds from Alastair Cook and Ryan ten Doeschate set Nottinghamshire 371 in the Royal London Cup semi-final, but hundreds in return from Samit Patel and Steven Mullaney won one of the great games with three balls left

David Hopps16-Jun-2017
ScorecardAlastair Cook made his third hundred of the competition but to no avail•Getty ImagesThis was an enthralling game, deserving the accolade as one of the finest one-day matches in the history of English domestic cricket. It fell to Nottinghamshire who pulled off a record county cricket run chase by overhauling a target of 371 with three balls to spare and who reached the final of the Royal London Cup in the process.But how Essex played their part. It felt like Alastair Cook’s match when they rattled up 370 for 5, Cook’s limited-overs pedigree never more apparent in making 133 from 128 balls. It felt even more Essex’s game when Ryan ten Doeschate, their captain, smashed an unbeaten 102 from 66 balls.Instead, hundreds in reply from Samit Patel, who would have needed life support on standby if he had batted on much longer, and Steven Mullaney, matching what ten Doeschate had produced before in a classy retort which insisted he must be termed “unsung” no longer, squeezed Nottinghamshire into the final at Lord’s where they will face the winners of Saturday’s semi-final between Worcestershire and Surrey.Their chase surpassed Hampshire’s 359 for 8 against Surrey at the Kia Oval in 2005 when Australian Shane Watson opened his shoulders.County cricket struggles to gain attention these days. But this was exceptional, a feast of entertainment, a reminder of the quality potentially on offer on England’s professional circuit when the best players are released from an overblown international circuit which has long become too repetitive for its own good. It challenged those English cricket lovers whose eyes never stray below the international game and then it challenged them again.A record 185-run fifth-wicket partnership in 24 overs between Patel and Mullaney helped carry Nottinghamshire home on a day when 743 runs were scored for the loss of only 10 wickets. They had begun in gung-ho fashion, 80 for 3 in 9.2 overs, all of the wickets to Jamie Porter, with Essex arguably one more wicket away from killing the game.’Wind back the clock’ – ten Doeschate

Ryan ten Doeschate, Essex captain:
“I’d like to start again by winding the clock back three-and-a-half hours. At that point you’d think there is no way you could lose that game. I don’t think we could have batted much better than that.
“With the ball there are a lot of questions that need to be answered and reviewed: what we said we were going to do and what we did. You need to be smart and keep your composure.”
Steven Mullaney, Notts century-maker:
“Within five days we have played on two of the best one-day pitches I have ever played on. In our team meetings we are always saying we need just one more run than the opposition and that is what we have done twice this week.
“I don’t care who we get in the final. They are both great teams and both pose an equal amount of threat. We’re confident of taking anyone at the minute.”

Essex’s hopes flared again when Patel, who majors in hangdog shoulders even when creaming the ball to all parts, was involved in the run out of Brendan Taylor for 62. He did little wrong, striking the ball square on the off side, screaming “no” more than once but finding Taylor alongside him: the same Taylor whose 154 at Taunton had carried Notts to 429 a few days earlier, among the highest domestic scores in history. Not a man to stay in your crease for, even if you were as blameless and talented as Samit Patel.It was a burden he shouldered admirably, finishing triumphant with 122 from 123 balls, helped by a marginal third umpire’s decision on 81 when Ravi Bopara fell agonisingly short of claiming a diving catch from ten Doeschate’s first ball.Mullaney’s breaking of the offspinner, Simon Harmer, early in his innings was a crucual moment. He grabbed the chase by the scruff, a fifth six, over long-on off Bopara, bringing up his first List A century before he fell, for 111 from 75 balls, attempting to uppercut Neil Wagner and caught behind. Wagner had been untidy in his new-ball spell, but not to complete his allocation felt unwise.That left six from nine balls, with Patel told by Mullaney to get the job done. Two desperate edges in the final over from Paul Walter sufficed, the first causing ten Doeschate to yank his hat over his head in disbelief, the second settling it. “You need a little bit of luck and I rode it a bit,” said Patel, glowing with magnificent near-exhaustion.All of which meant the story changed, because before then it was all about the irony. England crash out of the Champions Trophy and almost immediately the most high-profile batsman they rejected on the way to inventing their brave new world plays one of the limited-overs innings of his life.Samit Patel celebrates the winning runs•Getty ImagesCook, still a stalwart in the Test format, last played an ODI for England before the last World Cup where their approach was deemed so outdated that it tipped them into a new positive approach under Eoin Morgan which won such acclaim that they were regarded as a strong chance to win their first global 50-over trophy… until it all went wrong against Pakistan in Cardiff.Cook will have shared England’s disappointment. He does not do grudges. But he is capable of meaningful displays of his own prowess. It is what makes him such a fierce campaigner. As he came within four runs below his highest one-day score, he was at his most fluent, a high-class Nottinghamshire pace attack repelled. Ten Doeschate, the Essex captain, then came in at No 5 and struck around him with upright power.Cook played at a canter. Square cuts and nudges off his hips came with absolute certainty. A late dab off Mullaney to reach 50 displayed finesse. Stuart Broad, an England team-mate, taunted him with no mid-off – he rarely drives down the ground – and Cook, 77 by then, took a boundary with a smile. He repeated the shot against Broad for his hundred, mid-off now in place but to no avail. He fell to a slog sweep against Patel, eight overs from time, the ball not quite up for the shot.It took ten Doeschate to bring a capacity crowd at Chelmsford to its feet, taking three sixes off Harry Gurney in the penultimate over. Seventy-two came off the last five overs. It felt like a matchwinning phase. It turned out to be nothing of the sort.

Tottenham Hotspur could target Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic as a potential replacement for talisman Harry Kane this summer, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham Hotspur and who could replace him?

As per Sport1 via The Guardian, Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has claimed that Kane is keen to move to the Bundesliga champions this summer and believes that 'Tottenham will have to buckle' if their interest in the England international remains.

Bayern Munich have seen two bids turned down for Kane, with the second one believed to be in the region of £68 million. Spurs have also put a bumper contract extension on the table for Kane amid interest in his services.

If Kane is to leave the club, Foot Mercato via ESPN have reported that Juventus striker Vlahovic has emerged as a target for Tottenham, though Paris Saint-Germain are keeping tabs on his situation.

It is said that Vlahovic could be available for a fee of €70 million (£60.1 million). At the same time, Spurs enjoy a positive working relationship with Juventus, which has been brought about following the captures of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski from the Old Lady.

The Daily Mail have revealed that Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is 'weighing up' a swoop to try and tempt Vlahovic to Stamford Bridge, though Juventus have insisted on a straight sale, ruling out the possibility of a loan deal for the Serbia international.

According to Capology, Vlahovic is tied to Juventus on a contract that runs until June 2026 and earns €249,231 (£214,236) per week at the Allianz Stadium.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Galetti has signalled that Tottenham are definitely 'in the race' to sign Vlahovic amid uncertainty over Kane's future in north London.

Galetti said: "Despite the great interest from the Blues, let’s pay attention to the competition for the Serbian player: PSG, Bayern — who are pushing hard for Harry Kane — continue to monitor him. Also, Tottenham are in the race: With the constant pressure of Bayern on Kane, Spurs are exploring opportunities for a possible replacement and on their list, Dusan Vlahovic is gaining positions."

Could Dusan Vlahovic successfully replace Harry Kane?

Realistically, very few players in world football would be able to replicate even a quarter of what Kane has achieved at Tottenham over the course of his distinguished career; however, Vlahovic is someone who has all the attributes to succeed in England and it is unsurprising that the prolific forward is on the radar of several elite clubs.

Last term, the 23-year-old, who has been described as having a "little bit of Drogba" in his play, enjoyed a decent campaign in front of goal for Juventus, netting 14 times and laying on a further four assists in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Vlahovic, who is regarded as a "big-name", was a constant threat to defences over the course of the season and was able to find space efficiently, taking on 2.5 shots per match in Serie A, as per WhoScored.

FBRef show that the former Fiorentina star brought his teammates into play in 2022/23 and successfully performed 63 shot-creating actions in total.

With Kane's future being up in the air, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou looks to be proactive in his search for potential alternatives and will leave no stone unturned in his mission to bring success to N17.

Sunderland looked like they were close to bringing in Eliezer Mayenda – but a deal is currently being held up, as reported by journalist Santi Aouna.

Who is Eliezer Mayenda?

The 18-year-old currently plays for Sochaux in France and has already burst onto the scene and their first-team picture despite being in his teens. He made his league debut for the Ligue 2 outfit during the 2022/23 season and played 15 times in total for the club, although only one of those appearances was a start.

The striker though did manage to hit the back of the net despite his youth and when you consider he managed only 3.2 lots of 90 minutes, it isn't a bad rate for the youngster.

He's also clearly regarded highly at national team level as well, albeit not with the first-team. Mayenda has represented Spain at youth team level, making his debut for their Under-17 side only last year and playing three times for his country. The centre-forward then is clearly viewed as having some talent, so it's no surprise to see Tony Mowbray and Sunderland weighing up a move.

Are Sunderland signing Eliezer Mayenda?

Now, his performances could have earned him a move to England. According to journalist Santi Aouna, Sunderland have already reached an agreement to bring the 18-year-old to the Championship – but it has currently been put on hold. That is because, despite already sorting out a move for the wonderkid – and with the man himself eager to switch to the Stadium of Light – Sochaux are now holding out for more money.

"Agreement reached between Sochaux and Sunderland for the transfer Eliezer Mayenda," the reporter said.

"But the file is temporarily blocked by the Sochaliens who are now demanding more money. Striker wants to join Sunderland."

It looks as though a move could therefore hinge on whether one of the two clubs can alter their offer or valuation for Mayenda. If Sunderland don't opt to splash more funds, a move could fall through at the last hurdle, which would certainly be frustrating.

It would be a shame for the centre-forward, who seems to want to head to the EFL outfit now. It's unclear how much Sochaux are holding out for, or how much is currently on the table, but Transfermarkt suggest that his value is around the 300,000 Euro mark (or £259,900) and that would be a fairly cheap transfer for someone who is still only young but is already proven in a first-team environment.

There isn't much to go off in terms of what he could offer Sunderland, having only played those 15 league games for Sochaux so far. However, his reserve team stats make for good reading, as he bagged four in 14 in National 3 – Group J for the youth setup.

He clearly knows where the back of the net is then – and more gametime, for a side in Sunderland who do have a young team already, could allow him to prosper if he does move to the Stadium of Light.

South Africa’s Test captain draws parallels from the tour of Australia last year where the visitors dominated the series after being pushed against the wall early on

Firdose Moonda26-Jul-2017Professional sportsmen claim the media serves mostly as a distraction, so they try to avoid it, especially mid-series. But for South Africa, the English press has been a barometer to measure how far under the opposition’s skin they are getting. If the reaction from Trent Bridge is anything to go by, they’ve burrowed deep into England’s epidermis.The immediate analysis focused on England’s batting issues, with several former players slamming their attacking approach. In the days since, everything from Joe Root’s captaincy, which is only two Tests old, to the mindgames England have had to play with Moeen Ali, which essentially involve convincing him he is not the best spinner in the squad even though it is obvious that he is, have come under the microscope. For Faf du Plessis, that only helps put the hosts under pressure, in much the same way as the Australian media did during South Africa’s tour in November 2016.”The situation feels very similar to Australia,” du Plessis said. “After the first game in Australia when we beat them, there was quite a bit of press against the Australian cricket team and then we stepped our game up even more in the second Test and then after that, it was a free for all. You could see the Australian team were feeling a bit of pressure.”Cries of a crisis dominated headlines in Australia after South Africa bounced back from losing Dale Steyn to a broken shoulder on the first day of the first Test in Perth – eventually winning that Test – and then handed Australia a hiding in Hobart. With the series lost, Australia’s then selection-chief Rod Marsh stepped down. England are not at the same tipping point, especially as they give new captain Root the leeway to let his leadership style settle. But, the questions over which direction the Test team is headed in under Trevor Bayliss will mount.Knowing that kind of angst is also hovering around England gives South Africa a vulnerability to try and exploit. “All teams don’t want to feel the pressure and you do feel the pressure when you don’t play your best cricket, that’s part of the game,” du Plessis said. “The England cricket team will be the first to say that they will accept criticism from the last Test match and they will try and brush it off straightaway and start a new game fresh and play some good cricket. And we will certainly try and make use of pressure wherever we can.”Exactly how South Africa will look to use the current uncertainties in the England camp is a detail du Plessis will keep to himself, but using the recent past as an indicator suggests that they will rely on their unity to force the opposition to question themselves. In the last season, South Africa have several members of the squad step up – rather one or two standout performers – and the absence of superstars like AB de Villiers and Steyn caused no hindrance, as predicted. It may even have helped South Africa because these days, despite having only lost one series on the road in ten years between 2006 and 2016, South Africa go into big contests under-rated. And that suits du Plessis just fine.”We don’t always have the names that we used to have and that is how I see our team’s strength. Our focus is on every guy in the team playing a small role to get us over the line. We’ve never wanted to rely on big names,” he said. “You get players that are consistent and put in big performances but if you look at our last year and a half or so of Test cricket, there’s been unsung heroes all the time that have stepped up and made plays for the team when we most wanted them to. I will be very happy to keep being the under-rated team and by making sure that if we keep putting in small performances, we put pressure on the big, strong teams around the world.”In Perth, it was Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj who picked up Steyn’s load. In Hobart, it was Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott. In Wellington, Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma shared in a series-winning partnership and in Nottingham, runs from Hashim Amla, an all-round effort from Philander and crucial contributions from the likes of de Kock, Maharaj and Chris Morris allowed South Africa to level the series. They’re now in prime position to take the lead and set themselves up for another away win, a result that would further accelerate du Plessis’ vision of the team he wants to create.”When I took over, it was at a time of real darkness as a Test team and I had a vision of where I wanted us to go, and a blueprint for getting there. But getting there doesn’t always happen, you have to be patient and wait for it to unfold. Luckily things happened a lot quicker than I thought it would,” he said. “We’ve won every series that we’ve played, it’s been a good year for the team and for my captaincy.”Du Plessis first led South Africa in August 2016, when they were ranked No.7. Under him, they have climbed to No.2 in less than a year. In that time, their only major gripe has been that none of their batsmen have scored big runs consistently, and that continues to be a challenge in this series. South Africa don’t have a centurion, but England only have one and conditions have not lent themselves to excessive scoring. Du Plessis would like to see that change but isn’t labouring the point, because he knows the media can do that for him.”The conditions that we’ve been playing in haven’t been massive for scoring big runs.I’m not concerned, it’s a case of trusting yourself, of backing yourself, because if you keep talking too much about it, it can I suppose derail you from keeping it really simple,” he said. “We know as a batting unit that we need to do it, and if someone gets an opportunity to score runs they just need to be hungry that’s all I can ask for. If you’re hungry to make big plays for the team then the hundreds will come.”

West Ham United would be interested in signing Armando Broja from Chelsea this summer should he become available on loan according to ExWHUEmployee.

The Albanian striker missed the second half of last season with a devastating knee injury.

Will Armando Broja leave Chelsea this summer?

The striker could depart Stamford Bridge this window in search of game time.

The forward enjoyed a strong loan spell in the 2021/22 season with Southampton, managing 10 goal contributions in 39 games and recording a WhoScored average rating of 6.59 in the Premier League. The striker's performances caught the eye of Premier League legend Alan Shearer, who said to Premier League Productions. “Let me tell you, this lad is clinical, His goal against Brentford made him the youngest player in Premier League history to score in each of his first four home starts. As a striker, it’s all about taking chances and scoring goals, so stats like this tell me he can thrive in the Premier League. Broja is a young striker with an eye for goal and has a bright future in the Premier League.”

The forward, who has been hailed as the "fastest man in the world" by Raheem Sterling, returned to parent club Chelsea ahead of the 2022/23 season hoping to nail down a starting spot and cement his place in the Blues side, however, the forward managed just three starts in all competitions before a devastating knee injury in a friendly against Aston Villa ruled him out for the rest of the season.

This summer, Chelsea have signed two forwards in Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, therefore may be hard to come by for Broja this season, so a loan move may be the correct move to make this summer on a personal level in order to play regular football and bounce back from the injury.

According to journalist Simon Phillips via his Substack, Broja could be available on loan with the Hammers interested in a potential move for the 21-year-old.

Speaking on The West Ham Way podcast on Patreon, ExWHUEmployee revealed that the club have had a long-standing interest in the forward, and his is just one of multiple Blues youngsters the club are considering: "We’ve also looked at youngsters from other clubs, mainly Chelsea. Obviously they’ve got Armando Broja who we tried to sign last summer, if he was to be available for a loan and maybe one of our forwards was to move on then he would be another that we would look to sign."

Who Would Armando Broja replace at West Ham United?

There are two real candidates who could depart the London Stadium this summer should Broja arrive.

Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca could call time on his Hammers career after just one season. Following his £35.5m move from Sassuolo, the striker struggled to meet expectations, managing just eight goals in 27 appearances, with just three coming in the league, as poor form and knee problems prevented the 24-year-old from really being able to build form. There are reports now that both Inter Milan and Roma are interested in a transfer this summer with the Nerrazzuri preparing an €18-20 million(£15.4-17.2m) offer for the striker. Scamacca also recently completed a lengthy interview with the Italian outlet Cronache di Spogliatoio where he spoke on his desire to join his boyhood club Roma.

Michail Antonio is another forward who could depart this summer after 10 years with the club. A potential move to Saudi Arabia with Steven Gerrard's Al Ettifaq is reportedly heavily interesting the Jamaican international who is moving into the final year of his deal. West Ham reportedly won't stand in the striker's way and would sell this window for £10m.

Henry Blofeld, the veteran BBC commentator, has announced that he will retire from his role with Test Match Special this summer, after 45 years on the airwaves.

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2017Henry Blofeld, the veteran BBC commentator, has announced that he will retire from his role with Test Match Special this summer, after 45 years on the airwaves.Blofeld, 77, aka “Blowers”, became a household name at the height of TMS’s reach in the 1980s and 1990s, on account of his distinctive voice, complete with the catchphrase, “my dear old thing”, and his regular digressions into the habits of passing pigeons and London buses.He had been a fine cricketer in his own right as a schoolboy at Eton College in the 1950s, but his prospects of a first-class career came to an end at the age of 17, when he was knocked off his bicycle by a bus and spent 28 days in a coma.Instead he went into print journalism in the 1960s, after an abortive stint in banking, and went on to make his debut on TMS in 1972. He will commentate on three more Test matches this summer, before hanging up his microphone in September, during the third Test between England and West Indies at Lord’s.”All good things come to an end,” he wrote on his website. “After nearly fifty years in the Test Match Special commentary box, I have decided the time has come for the last of the old farts to hang up his microphone.”By his own admission, Blofeld’s deteriorating eyesight has made his recent stints more error-prone than he would wish, and there is a sense in his farewell statement that he wished to leave the broadcasting scene on his own terms.”In all honesty, at the age of almost 78, although I am still rather keener than mustard, I find it harder work than I once did. The one thing I don’t want to do more than anything, is for my incompetence to let TMS down.”I leave, supremely confident that TMS is in the safest of hands, led by the ageless Aggers [Jonathan Agnew]. In the end, I think he will come to be seen as the best of the lot.”Listeners will now be relieved to know that their chances of being told the right name of the fielders at third man and fine leg have greatly increased.”I hope some will be sad that they will now hear less about the lifestyles of pigeons, seagulls, and helicopters although I fear the general feeling will be one of huge relief.”Now, I shall be able to come to the cricket without worrying about who is lurking down at third man. I shall also be able to have a drink without feeling I am being politically incorrect. And hallelujah to that!”