All posts by h716a5.icu

Ravindra Jadeja’s nine wickets in Ranchi have pushed him to No. 1 in the ICC bowler’s rankings, while Cheteshwar Pujara became the highest ranked Indian batsman, at second place

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-20170:28

Jadeja makes the No.1 spot his own

Ravindra Jadeja has overtaken R Ashwin at the top of the ICC Test rankings for bowlers, after taking nine wickets against Australia in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Cheteshwar Pujara was also a major gainer as his 202 off 525 balls propelled him above Virat Kohli to become the top-ranked India batsman in Tests. He was at No. 2, behind Australia captain Steven Smith.Although the Ranchi Test was drawn, at the end of the fourth day, the hosts had seemed in quite a dominant position thanks to these two players. Pujara, by facing more balls than any other Indian (where data is available) in Tests, secured a whopping 152-run lead though Australia had put up 451. It was the third double-century of his career, second against Australia, and it helped him continue a rich vein of form in the 2016-17 home season – 1259 runs at 66.26 with four hundreds and seven fifties.The top bowlers in Test cricket•ESPNcricinfo LtdJadeja, meanwhile, has outbowled his closest competitor Ashwin in the first innings this season – a sign that he was becoming a threat even without the pitch helping him too much. In all, Jadeja has taken 67 wickets at 22.98 with four five-wicket hauls in 24 innings. The changes he has made to his bowling, namely the ability to draw batsmen forward with flighted deliveries, as opposed to his usual method of bowling darts to get bowleds and lbws have made a strong impact. Kohli, at the end of the Ranchi Test, singled out Jadeja as “standing apart” from the rest of his bowlers.The top batsmen in Test cricket•ESPNcricinfo LtdSmith consolidated his place at the top of the rankings with scores of 178* and 21 in Ranchi. Smith has 941 rating points is now joint-fifth highest ever with Peter May. Only Don Bradman (961), Len Hutton (945), Jack Hobbs and Ricky Ponting (942) have ever got more.India will hold on to their position at the top of the rankings at the April 1 deadline for a cash award of $1 million. Australia and South Africa, on the other hand, have a chance to take over the second position. If Smith’s men at least draw the upcoming Dharamsala Test, they will finish at No. 2. South Africa can take over if Australia lose, and they either draw or win the Hamilton Test against New Zealand. The team that finishes second will be awarded $500,000 and the third-placed team will get $200,000.

Australia’s players have been considering the possibility of strike action since as early as January, according to the former Test captain and Cricket Australia board director Mark Taylor

Daniel Brettig14-May-2017Australia’s players have been considering the possibility of strike action since as early as January, according to the former Test captain and Cricket Australia board director Mark Taylor.As the Australian Cricketers’ Association responded to the threat of CA’s chief executive James Sutherland that the players will cease to be paid after June 30 unless the ACA agrees to the board’s current pay offer, Taylor revealed the depth of the players’ feeling while describing his frustration at the lack of any constructive negotiation.Following ESPNcricinfo’s report on Sutherland’s letter, numerous Australian players, including Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch, took to Twitter to maintain their strong support for the ACA, using the #fairshare hashtag. Starc wrote the dispute “makes for an interesting men’s and women’s Ashes”, while the former England batsman Kevin Pietersen wrote “Fairly big player strike soon in Aus…””The board and CA in general have been frustrated by the fact there has been no negotiation. I had players say to me in January of this year ‘we could well be on strike by July’. This is before this MOU was presented,” Taylor, who was captain of the national team when the first MOU was struck in 1998, said on Channel Nine.”I’m not surprised James has done what he’s done. Things haven’t been going anywhere for months now, and I know Cricket Australia feel the ACA aren’t negotiating at all. CA want to change the MOU, want to get away from the revenue sharing model, although the deal being offered to the players is still revenue sharing to a certain extent. No-one’s worse off, women are going to be very well paid in the new model.”But right from the word go, the ACA – I’m not so sure about the players – have not wanted to engage at all on this deal that’s been offered. It’s all about status quo or the highway, and I don’t think you can negotiate that way.”Taylor said CA was intent on breaking up the fixed revenue percentage model because the board did not think it was sustainable. “It doesn’t make business sense for Cricket Australia,” he said. “Every time you make money you have to give away a certain percentage of it. The costs of revenue are going up in sport all the time, every sport will say that.”This could be a win-win. Both side have to negotiate, Cricket Australia has said right from the word go there is our deal. There has been no discussion, or any negotiation on the detail of that deal. The deal they want is status quo.”Alistair Nicholson, the ACA chief executive, criticised what he called CA’s attempt to “drive a wedge in Australian cricket” and reiterated the association’s call for independent mediation of pay talks.”Clearly, we are disappointed that CA are threatening the players,” Nicholson said. “It’s also a window into the nature of CA’s behaviour in these negotiations so far. There is incoherence and aggression in what we have experienced at the negotiating table from CA. This has further been demonstrated this week with some top players being offered multi-years deals one day only to now be threatened the next.”However, despite these threats, the players affirm their offer to participate in independent mediation. Quite simply, one side entered these negotiations in good faith with an intent to provide a win/win result, and the other is trying to remove player unity and drive a wedge in Australian cricket. Further lighting the fuse on this dispute on the eve of the Ashes and during discussions with potential broadcasters and sponsors is quite baffling.”The point lost on CA is that the players will not respond to threats, whilst broadcasters and sponsors need certainty. That’s why we state again, for the good of the game, that it is time to sit down in mediation rather than make unnecessary threats and create such uncertainty.”

Leeds United are reportedly showing an interest in making an ambitious move to land RB Leipzig forward, Yussuf Poulsen, with the Elland Road outfit still yet to strengthen their ranks this summer ahead of their return to the Championship.

What are the latest Leeds transfer rumours?

According to journalist Simon Jones for The Mail+, newly-appointed boss Daniel Farke is keen to bolster his centre-forward ranks having been 'discussing' possible striker targets with the club in both Europe and South America.

As per the report, the 70-cap Denmark international is one of the options being considered by the Yorkshire giants, with the 29-year-old – who has spent the last decade with the Bundesliga outfit – having just a year left to run on his existing contract.

As the piece also notes, this search for a new number nine has come with Patrick Bamford seemingly 'ready to leave the club' after enduring an injury-hit last two seasons with the Whites.

Who is Yussuf Poulsen?

While as the above report states, the 6 foot 4 marksman is 'not prolific' – having scored just two league goals last season – he still boasts a wealth of experience for both club and country, having notably won two German Cups during his stint in Leipzig.

Having been part of his current club's rapid rise up through the divisions after joining from Danish side Lyngby in 2013, the towering hitman does boast a respectable tally of 85 goals and 63 assists in 358 games for the Bundesliga side, having also featured on the flanks at times over the years.

As the aforementioned Jones also stated, the major benefit of bringing Poulsen into the fold for Farke would be due to his hard-working nature, having been hailed as a "machine" by his current teammate, Willi Orban.

That willing work ethic has also led to the Copenhagen native receiving praise from former Leipzig boss Alexander Zorniger, who has previously stated: "He always pushes himself beyond his limits, and embodies dynamism, desire, and a willingness to learn. When he can't do anymore, that's when I know he has absolutely nothing left in the tank."

The same can seemingly not be said for Bamford, with the Englishman having repeatedly broken down with injury in recent times, ensuring that he made just 37 Premier League outings across the last two seasons combined – only 25 of which came from the start.

The apparent difference in work ethic between the 29-year-old and Poulsen is evidenced by the fact that the latter man notably ranks in the top 7% among his European peers for tackles made and aerial duels won, as well as in the top 6% for blocks made.

The current Leeds man, by contrast, does not appear to share that desire to defend from the front as he ranks in just the bottom 40% for tackles and only the top 42% for aerial duels won, as well as ranking in just the top 41% for blocks.

With Bamford also hardly proving prolific himself of late – with just six league goals to his name since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, fewer than the Dane has achieved (eight) – it does appear that a fresh start is needed, something that could be hastened by Poulsen's arrival.

As such, the signing of the £66k-per-week ace could no doubt spell bad news for Bamford's future at Elland Road…

Manchester United's hopes of landing Leon Goretzka hang in the balance as the midfielder wants to defy Bayern's openess to cash in and stay and fight for his place.

How many goals has Leon Goretzka scored for Bayern Munich?

The 28-year-old has been with current club Bayern Munich for five seasons now and has so far accumulated 124 Bundesliga appearances for the Bavarians, bagging 25 goals and 19 assists in the league along the way for them.

Despite being a midfielder then, he is often able to hit the back of the net and tee up his teammates. However, his rates have dipped recently despite a slight rise in gametime. In 2022/23, he managed 27 Bundesliga games in total but only three goals and two assists. It marks his worst goal contribution total since he arrived at the Allianz Arena – with that production rate getting steadily worse each campaign.

He has though, proven his ability as a final third thread in the past. In 2021/22 for example, he managed 2.9 shots per 90 on average – which was the tenth best rate in the entire division. It shows the German's ability to drive forward and to test the goalkeeper at will with his shooting prowess. He also ranked in the top ten for goal-creating actions per 90 in the two seasons prior to that. Again, it shows he is constantly a threat to opposition defences and can carve them open with his link-up play.

Are Manchester United signing Leon Goretzka?

Despite this, Goretzka – who stands at a towering 6 foot 2 – has been available on a deal this summer as Bayern look to raise funds for their own incomings. Reports had suggested that he would be allowed to leave and that had led to interest from the Premier League, as well as other divisions.

Manchester United and Liverpool had been named as two teams who were keeping an eye on the situation, with both potentially looking to try and seal a transfer for the 28-year-old during the window.

Now though, according to a report from 90Min, the Bayern star could be set to stay on in Germany. Despite their desire to raise funds and clear some room in the squad, Goretzka himself is keen to stay on with the Bundesliga side and could now ward off any potential interest in his services.

It also reaffirms that United had been keen to try and bring him to England and had been keeping tabs on the situation with him at Bayern. However, they won't launch a transfer bid for him in the knowledge that he now wants to stay at the Allianz Arena beyond this summer.

Goretzka remains a talent, even if his goal contribution numbers have nosedived. His ability away from simply assists and goalscoring has been showcased by his underlying stats and performances. He regularly plays a part in a Bayern side that consistently wins Bundesliga titles and challenges in Europe and would be a shrewd addition to any team then – but it doesn't look as if it will be Man United this summer.

Pune’s bowlers have been the reason for their 3-0 head-to-head against Mumbai. They have only allowed one half-century to the most prolific middle-order in the tournament

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu20-May-2017Match factsFinal, Mumbai Indians v Rising Pune Supergiant
Hyderabad, May 21, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:45

Agarkar: Mumbai have gained from lesser-known players

Form guide

Rising Pune Supergiant: beat Mumbai by 20 runs; beat Kings XI by 9 wickets; lost to Daredevils by 7 runs.

Mumbai Indians: beat KKR by six wickets; lost to Rising Pune by 20 runs; beat KKR by 9 runs.

Head-to-headOverall: It’s 4-1 to Rising Pune Supergiant. Mumbai Indians’ most recent win against their opponents in the final came last year.This season: Rising Pune won home and away in the league stage, and then shocked Mumbai again at the Wankhede in the first qualifier.Big pictureIt’s groundhog day in the IPL, and Mumbai have gone to great lengths to make it happen. Now all they have to do is figure out a way to end the loop and get the girl. But if not that, then at least the trophy.Twice in the league, and again in the first qualifier earlier this week, Rohit Sharma and his men have come up against Rising Pune, done everything they can, only to wake up and see its still February 2. Bill Murray’s character – spoiler alert – eventually escaped his fate by accepting his curse. While that makes rom-com fans go “aww”, those that frequent the Wankhede would go “&^%$*”. Mumbai are two-time champions. Rising Pune won’t even exist in the IPL after Sunday. They want a win before this rivalry ends.Krunal Pandya was seen receiving treatment to his groin during the second qualifier but Rohit has said he should be okay to play. Mitchell McClenaghan, who did not play that game, will be assessed on the morning of the final in Hyderabad.The likely XIsMumbai Indians 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Rohit Sharma (capt), 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Karn Sharma, 9 Mitchell Johnson/Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Jasprit BumrahRising Pune Supergiant 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Manoj Tiwary, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Dan Christian, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Adam ZampaStrategy puntThere are statistics to suggest the legspinner Karn Sharma, Mumbai’s unexpected trump card, and left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya, should be saved for the Rising Pune middle order. They have been hit for 20 runs off nine balls by Rahul Tripathi and 25 runs off 13 balls by Steven Smith. But they have managed five dots in nine balls to MS Dhoni and 11 dots in 22 balls to Manoj Tiwary, at an economy rate of six or less.Stats that matter Rising Pune have kept a lid on Mumbai’s power players. Rohit and Kieron Pollard average 20.66 and 14.33 against them this season. In three matches, Rising Pune have only allowed Mumbai to hit 23 sixes and 35 fours. In comparison, Mumbai thrashed 29 sixes against Kings XI after only two meetings, and 47 fours after three rounds against Knight Riders. One of Rising Pune’s biggest strengths is their ability to strangle teams in the middle overs. They have taken the most wickets – 41 – established the lowest run-rate – 7.16 – and accumulated the most dots – 321 – between overs seven and 15 this IPL. Mumbai, with 10, have the record for the most fifty-plus scores from the middle order in 2017. But only one of them has come against Rising Pune. Rohit’s batsmen from No. 3 to No. 7 average only 13.86 and strike at 113 against Smith’s bowlers. Dhoni, who will be playing his seventh final in ten IPLs, averages 64.66 and strikes at 161.66 against Mumbai in IPL playoff and knockout matches. Among those who have bowled at least six overs against Mumbai in this IPL, offspinner Washington Sundar’s economy-rate of 5.25 is the second best, behind Rashid Khan’s 5.12. Ajinkya Rahane has struggled all season, but he has contributed two of the four fifties Rising Pune have against Mumbai. No other team has managed more than two 50-plus scores against Mumbai. These statistics indicate how Rising Pune have kept the head-to-head in their favour so far, but Mumbai are big-match specialists. Lendl Simmons had three successive fifties in IPL play-off and knockout games before this year. Jasprit Bumrah has bowled more deliveries (152) in the last five overs than anyone else, and was resplendent when he bowled the first Super Over of his career earlier this season. He will go into the final on the high of recording his best figures in T20s – 3-1-7-3 – in the second qualifier against KKR on Friday. Pollard has faced 273 balls in the 2017 season – his second-highest tally in 10 IPLs. Nine more and he’ll eclipse his personal best. But here’s the kicker: Mumbai have won the title in two out of three previous seasons that he has batted more than 200 balls. In 12 innings this season, Krunal has conceded runs at only 6.72 per over. Here are the strike-rates of batsmen who have faced at least 10 balls from him. Tiwary (83), Manish Pandey (117), AB de Villiers (118), Hashim Amla (133), Rahane (135) and Suryakumar Yadav (161).

Watch highlights of the key events from the third ODI between West Indies and India in Antigua

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jun-2017All series long, West Indies have looked to bounce Virat Kohli, but on a damp surface that had seen rain pretty much throughout yesterday, the sticky steep bounce troubled Kohli much more than it ever did in the series. Kohli swayed out of a couple, fended at one that fell safe, and eventually couldn’t control one as he attempted a single to third man.In the 17th over of India’s innings, West Indies let the horse bolt. Yuvraj Singh nearly guided the first ball to gully and got a single. They responded by reinforcing the field with a slip to go with the gully, and Yuvraj took a single third ball. For some reason, though, they forgot to call the slip back in when Yuvraj came back on strike for the fifth ball. Kesrick Williams produced a regulation edge, which would have settled in the first slip’s lap and made a 300-ODI veteran his first ODI wicket. Instead Yuvraj got four.The horse kept coming back, though. After letting Yuvraj off early, West Indies reprieved him again when they didn’t review a plumb not-out on-field call off the bowling of Devendra Bishoo. Four overs later, though, Bishoo appealed for a similar lbw, drew a similar response from umpire Dharmasena, but reviewed this time and got the decision in his favour.As MS Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav took 81 off the last 7.4 overs on a slow pitch, they needed some innovation. Dhoni targeted Jason Holder, stunningly fetching one length ball from wide outside off and depositing it flat over square leg for six. Jadhav saw Dhoni’s innovation, and raised him a sweep shot off Miguel Cummins, having gone on a knee and well outside off well before Cummins released, and then pulling off the shot with surprising ease thanks to his still head.Brought on to bowl in the 11th over, Hardik Pandya used the bouncer effectively, to break a 45-run second-wicket partnership between Shai and Kyle Hope. He accounted for both batsmen in his spell using the short ball, ending with returns of 32 for 2 in six overs

Crystal Palace have placed a £50m price tag on Liverpool target Cheick Doucoure's shoulders this summer, contrary to previous reports which quoted a remarkable £70m fee.

Are Liverpool linked with Cheick Doucoure?

The Reds have rarely had a busier summer transfer window when it comes to their midfield situation, with so much happening at the club, both in terms of signings and exits.

The arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai signalled an exciting beginning to the window, as the pair joined from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively, but James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left when their contracts expired, suddenly weakening the depth at Jurgen Klopp's disposal.

Meanwhile, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson now both look set to complete shock exits in the near future, with the duo expected to head off to Saudi Arabia sooner rather than later. For that reason, it is clear that Mac Allister and Szoboszlai won't be enough in terms of summer signings, and Doucoure is one of a host of players to have been linked with a move to Anfield.

The 23-year-old was an influential figure for Palace last season, starting 34 of the Eagles' 38 Premier League matches, and they will no doubt be desperate to retain his services and demand big money for him.

What's the latest on Cheick Doucoure to Liverpool?

Reports from BBC reporter Alex Howell this week valued Doucoure at a whopping £70m, but according to Football Insider, Palace's asking price for Doucoure is now £50m this summer, though the south Londoners do still want to fend off interest in arguably one of their most prized assets.

The report states that the transfer market has been "distorted" by some of the business done by Arsenal and Chelsea, not least Declan Rice joining the Gunners from West Ham for huge money, which is why the Eagles midfielder's price tag remains quite high.

There is no question that £50m is a lot of money for a player who still remains fairly unproven at the highest level, only arriving at Selhurst Park a year ago and not yet testing himself at one of Europe's biggest clubs.

The current situation does make Palace's stance understandable, in fairness, as they hold out for as much money as possible, as was the case with West Ham and Rice, among other pieces of business this summer.

If Liverpool are truly desperate to acquire Doucoure's signature in the coming weeks, and see him as a great option to bring in, then should still be willing to stump up the money, though, especially if Fabinho and Henderson leaving generates more funds.

Either way, it is absolutely imperative that Mac Allister and Szoboszlai don't end up being the Reds' only midfield additions in the current transfer window, with at least two more faces required to make up for the loss of Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and more than likely, Fabinho and Henderson, too.

Doucoure has certainly shown that he can be a force in the Premier League, averaging 2.3 tackles per game in the competition last season, not to mention also chipping in with three assists – Roy Hodgson has also labelled him as "very influential" – showing that he is more than just a defence-minded No.6 who doesn't offer much attacking quality.

Liverpool are still interested in signing Torino defender Perr Schuurs and appear to have held talks over a potential move.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Preparations are being made at Anfield ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, with two new midfielders already brought in for Jurgen Klopp.

Deals for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have been completed, with the pair signing from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively at a combined cost of €112m (£96m).

However, there have been more midfielders leave Merseyside than arrive. James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all left on free transfers when their contracts expired and Jordan Henderson has now departed to join Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia.

Fabinho could be the next to move on, which has led to Liverpool looking at a move for another midfielder in Southampton’s Romeo Lavia. An opening £40m offer has been turned down by the Saints, however, it is “increasingly likely that a compromise will be reached”, according to James Pearce, with anew bidbeing prepared.

Alongside Lavia, it appears as if the Reds, and by extension owners FSG and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke, also have their eyes on signing a new defender before the September 1 deadline.

Schuurs has been linked with a move to Merseyside, with speculation first emerging back in 2020, and the player is reportedly happy to join the Reds, with more news emerging in the last 48 hours.

Sport Witness relayed an update from Toro.it regarding Schuurs. Liverpool and Crystal Palace were named with an interest in the defender, however, negotiations have frozen due to Torino’s €40m (£34m) asking price, implying that talks have been held between the Italian side and those at Anfield.

The two Premier League sides don’t plan to give up on a potential deal, though, with Klopp identifying Schuurs to possibly play alongside fellow countryman Virgil van Dijk going forward.

Who is Perr Schuurs?

Schuurs is 23 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-back who is sponsored by Nike. He began his career in Fortuna Sittard’s academy before moving to Ajax in 2018. Schuurs made 95 senior appearances for the Eredivisie giants before going on to sign for Torino last summer.

Since then, the defender has been a regular in Italy, turning out on 33 occasions during the previous campaign, averaging more tackles and clearance per 90 than any of his teammates, as per WhoScored.

Journalist Josh Bunting described Schuurs as a “mountain" last year, and it looks as if he is at the peak of his powers with a career-high €25m Transfermarkt valuation.

Klopp currently has five senior centre-back options to choose from in Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Nathaniel Phillips, although the latter of the five has been linked with an exit.

Therefore, should one or two centre-backs leave Merseyside over the coming weeks, Schuurs could be viewed as a solid replacement, and it appears as if a deal could be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

After battling illness last week, Philander has now been struck with back spasms on the eve of the final Test at Old Trafford and faces a fitness test

Firdose Moonda at Old Trafford03-Aug-2017A last-minute call will be taken on Vernon Philander’s availability for the final Test against England at Old Trafford after he began to suffer with lower-back spasms on the eve of the must-win game. Philander has only just recovered from the viral infection which limited his participation in the third Test and when he spoke on Wednesday he said had put the illness behind him and was “looking forward” to having more of a say in the upcoming fixture, especially as he felt his intensity was missed at The Oval.South Africa are similarly anxious to have a fully-fit Philander in their XI as they look to square the series and go home with something to show for what has been an otherwise disappointing three-month tour. After the third Test, captain Faf du Plessis cited Philander’s illness, which resulted in him only bowling 32 overs out of 183.1 at The Oval, as one of the key reasons for South Africa’s defeat. Before the fourth Test, du Plessis elaborated on how Philander’s fitness, or lack thereof, will impact on team selection.”Vernon at 100% fit means we can look at playing three seamers and play seven batters. Vernon at 90% doesn’t mean you can play three seamers because you don’t want to be in a position where you have a seamer break down and then you only have two bowlers, because that is basically the Test match over right there,” du Plessis said. “The one occasion where we managed to pull a miracle off was in Australia with two seamers, but normally you can’t win a Test match with two bowlers. If he is not 100% fit, it’s important to look at having four seamers.”The match du Plessis was referring to was played in Perth last November when Dale Steyn broke his shoulder. Then, Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj made up a three-man attack and were able to bowl Australia out with a lead of just two runs in the first innings. South Africa’s current crop of Rabada, Morne Morkel and Maharaj were unable to replicate that at The Oval, making Philander an even more crucial member of the side now than he was nine months ago. Not only is he the container-in-chief, but Philander’s runs have been also vital to South Africa, which is why he is key to balance.If Philander can operate at his optimal, South Africa seem to be pondering lengthening the batting line-up, which would likely mean the inclusion of Theunis de Bruyn ahead of Chris Morris, in order to make up for the lapses of their top five. Should they play an XI that includes de Bruyn and not Morris, Philander will have to bowl more overs. But if Philander’s workload needs to be monitored, then South Africa will need Morris to make up those overs and so can’t play de Bruyn. That means Philander will bat at No. 7, with Morris at No. 8, placing extra pressure on both of them to produce with bat and ball.This is the fourth time in the series Philander has carried an ailment. He went into the Lord’s Test on the back of an ankle injury sustained during a county stint with Sussex which prevented him from playing in the tour match. During that game, he was struck on the hand though that did not result in any serious damage apart from a dropped catch. Last week, Philander was laid low by a stomach bug which quickly escalated into a viral infection and now there is a back problem.Philander will undergo a fitness test on Thursday afternoon but South Africa will wait to see how feels on Friday morning before making a final decision.

Aston Villa are plotting a summer move to sign free agent Adama Traore, according to fresh reports.

Where is Adama Traore now?

The right-winger was most recently at Wolverhampton Wanderers where he made a total of 194 appearances, but with his deal there having expired which saw him depart on July 1, he is now technically able to speak to other clubs, and the Old Gold's sporting director Matt Hobbs has delivered an update on his future. He said:

“As the manager said in his press conferences recently, Adama is a player we’d like to keep and we’re still talking to him. He’s now out of contract, but it doesn’t mean there’s not an opportunity to still come to an agreement, so conversations will be ongoing. He’s probably earned the right to understand what else is out there.”

Read The Latest Aston Villa Transfer News HERE…

The Spaniard will already be familiar with life across the Midlands having had a one-year spell with Unai Emery’s side from 2015-16, which despite being a period of time that didn’t work out as a result of him leaving after a single season, his name is once again being brought onto the radar of chiefs at Villa Park.

Are Aston Villa signing Adama Traore?

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are “plotting a surprise move” for Traore ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. NSWE and Monchi have “set their sights” on the attacker and are “turning their attention” towards trying to get a deal over the line having placed him on a “shortlist” of transfer targets.

Wolves have tabled their former talisman a new “contract offer”, but it’s less than his previous one meaning that he’s more likely to want to start afresh elsewhere, with Emery looking to add “pace and cutting edge” to his frontline.

During his time at Wolves, Traore posted 34 goal contributions (20 assists and 14 goals) across all competitions, and whilst the 27-year-old’s first spell at Aston Villa was short, it would be an absolute bargain to once again secure his services for the cost of nothing having been dubbed a “monster” by members of the media.

The Gestifute client, who has the versatility to operate in seven different positions over the grass, last season ranked in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons and recorded 81 crosses which was more than any other of his teammates, via FBRef, highlighting his ability to dribble past his marker and whip balls into the box for his strikers.

Spain’s eight-cap international also has a decent record against Villa, having secured four victories and registering one assist when part of the opposition’s team, so if he can perform well for the away side, imagine what he’d be capable of under the guidance of Emery.

Villa recently secured the signing of Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen who is also a right-winger, but this doesn't seem to have stopped the hierarchy from looking at a deal for Traore, so should he put pen to paper, the boss will have two new solid options to choose from on that side of the flank next season.